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McBryde

A Safe Haven for Imperiled Plants

Located on the South Shore of the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i, McBryde Garden is nestled in the picturesque and historic Lawa'i Valley. The garden is a veritable botanical ark of tropical flora and home to the largest ex situ collection of native Hawaiian flora in existence. Our extensive collections of palms, flowering trees, rubiaceae, heliconias, orchids, and many others have been wild-collected by botanists and biologists from throughout tropical regions around the world and transported to McBryde Garden to research, cultivate and thrive.

Tours of McBryde Garden and the adjacent Allerton Garden depart from the South Shore Visitors Center daily. Visitors are transported into the garden via a short, narrated shuttle ride along the stunning coastline of the South Shore. Be on the lookout for whales, dolphins and other marine life as you make your way into the garden over a historic railroad trestle road and into the magnificent valley.

The land now occupied by the McBryde Garden lies in the southern part of what was once the Hawaiian ahupua‘a (land division) of Lāwa‘i, originally extending along the Lāwa‘i Stream from the Kapalaoa Range to Lāwa‘i Bay.

McBryde Garden visitors can explore 50 acres of diverse plant collections including Hawaiian native and ethnobotanical species, palms, rubiaceae (coffee family), zingiberales (heliconia family), and erythrina (coral trees). See exotic spices from allspice to vanilla on the Spice of Life Trail, and take a journey back in time in the Hawaiian Life Canoe Plant Garden and along the Biodiversity Trail.

View all of the collections at your own pace on this self-guided tour and catch the return shuttle to the South Shore Visitors Center at the top of every hour.

For visitors who want to see it all, the South Shore Combination Tour guides guests through select Allerton Garden rooms and McBryde Garden highlights. This tour offers a taste of both magnificent gardens.

A behind the scenes look at our state-of-the-art horticultural center is also included, where visitors will see rare plant cultivation and research in action.

Already have a reservation for the Discovery Combination Tour? View our visitor page for directions, parking, and more.

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DIACRITICALS
National Tropical Botanical Garden is headquartered on the island of Kauai in Hawaii and recognizes the use of diacritical markings of the modern Hawaiian language including the ʻokina [ ʻ ] or glottal stop and the kahakō [ō] or macron. However, we have omitted these markings throughout our website to ensure the best online experience for our local, national and international users. Per our mission, NTBG is committed to perpetuating the survival of cultural knowledge and recognizes the importance of using these markings to preserve the language and culture of Hawaii. We respectfully use diacriticals in all of our printed communication beyond the online platform.